Music Therapy (BMT)

Degree Highlights

Designed for real-world success, this program equips you with the skills, experience, and confidence to make a meaningful impact in the field of music therapy:

• Career-Ready Curriculum: Build a strong foundation for your future in music therapy with a curriculum that blends advanced musicianship, therapeutic knowledge, and applied learning. You’ll explore how music therapy can support individuals in care, promote wellness, and strengthen communities.
• Client-Centred Learning: Work directly with a variety of client populations, including children with developmental or physical challenges and older adults living with dementia. Through both group and individual sessions, you’ll gain practical insight into how music therapy meets diverse needs.
• Approaches & Techniques: Learn a wide range of music therapy methods and philosophies used across the field. You’ll be guided in developing your own personal approach to practice—so when you begin leading sessions, you’ll have a clear sense of how you work and why.
• Musical Tools in Practice: Use your primary instrument in therapy and develop additional skills on percussion, piano, and guitar—core tools for music therapists. This hands-on approach ensures you can confidently integrate a variety of instruments into your sessions.

Top Experiences

Here are just a few of our students’ favourite ways to apply their learning in the real world throughout their degree:

• Music Therapy Placements: Over two years, you’ll take part in supervised group and individual music therapy placements—both on campus and in the community. You’ll begin by observing your instructor lead sessions, gaining insight into the goals, structure, and impact of music therapy in action. As your skills develop, you’ll gradually take on more responsibility, eventually leading sessions yourself under faculty supervision.
• Internships and Certification: In your fourth year, you’ll complete a 1,000-hour internship approved by the Canadian Association for Music Therapy (CAMT). With guidance from our staff and faculty, you’ll go through an interview process to secure a placement in a professional setting that aligns with your goals. After graduation, you’ll be eligible to write the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT) exam—qualifying you to work as a music therapist in both Canada and the United States.
• International Opportunities: Interested in completing your internship abroad? Speak with our experiential placements coordinator to explore international options that meet certification standards. All internships—whether in Canada or internationally—must be supervised by a certified Music Therapist Accredited (MTA).

First-Year Courses

Students who wish to pursue the Bachelor of Music Therapy must begin their studies in Laurier's Bachelor of Music.

Students are required to complete all mandatory Bachelor of Music courses, plus the following three courses as their electives:

• Introduction to Music Therapy
• Introduction to Psychology I
• Introduction to Psychology II

Sample Upper-Year Courses

• Principles of Music Therapy
• Clinical Improvisation I and II
• Medical Music Therapy
• Music, Culture, and Community
• Music Therapy Internship I and II

Further Education

Some Bachelor of Music Therapy graduates choose to pursue Laurier's one-year Master of Music Therapy (MMT) to gain additional credentials and qualify for membership with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO).

Laurier’s MMT is currently the only music therapy program in Canada recognized by the CRPO, enabling graduates to work in the regulated field of psychotherapy.

Graduates may also go on to further study in areas such as education, social work, occupational therapy, or pursue research-based graduate programs. 

Already Hold a Bachelor's Degree?

If you already have an undergraduate degree, we encourage you to explore Laurier’s two-year Master of Music Therapy program. It’s designed for individuals from a range of academic backgrounds who want to enter the field of music therapy and gain the necessary academic and clinical training for certification.

If you're interested in Laurier’s Bachelor of Music Therapy (BMT), you’ll start by enrolling in the Honours Bachelor of Music (BMus). After completing two years of BMus coursework—including required music and psychology courses—eligible students may apply for admission into the BMT program for Years 3 and 4.

Already have an undergraduate degree?
Explore our Master of Music Therapy — a two-year graduate option designed for those entering the field of music therapy from a wide range of academic backgrounds.

Academic Requirements:

• Minimum Music GPA of 7.0
• Minimum overall GPA of 6.0
• Minimum Psychology GPA of 5.0
  
  
• Successful completion of the following courses:
  • MU158: Introduction to Music Therapy
  • PS101 & PS102: Introduction to Psychology
  • PS275: Developmental Psychology – Infancy and Childhood
  • PS276 or PS377: Developmental Psychology – Adolescence or Adulthood

Application Materials:

• • 1-2 page letter of intent
  • Current resumé
  • Individual audition (including performance, self-accompaniment, and improvisation)
  • Interview with the Music Therapy faculty

The purpose of the audition and interview is to assess your musical, academic, interpersonal and self-reflective skills and your readiness for the Music Therapy program and clinical work.

Already have an undergraduate degree?
Explore our Master of Music Therapy program—a two-year graduate option designed for those entering the field of music therapy from a wide range of academic backgrounds.

Faculty of Music Scholarships

In addition to entrance scholarships, you’ll automatically be considered for a Faculty of Music audition scholarship—no separate application required. These awards are based on your audition and recognize students who demonstrate strong musical ability, academic achievement, extracurricular involvement, and/or financial need. Audition scholarship results are communicated at the same time as your audition results.

Scholarship opportunities continue beyond first year, with additional awards available through an application process.